House Government and Reform Committee chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., suggested the Secret Service begin “soul-searching” after he revealed that the number of agents involved in the prostitution scandal may be higher than reported.
“We think the number might be higher, and we’re– we’re asking for the exact amount of all the people who, quote, ‘were involved,'” Issa said on CBS’s Face the Nation this morning.
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The lead House investigator said the scandal causes him to worry about the safety of the president. “No, no, I can’t be [satisfied with Obama’s security],” Issa said. “The question is, is the whole organization in need of some soul-searching, some changes, or in fact– before the President, the vice president, members of the cabinet are in danger?”
Issa raised the possibility of a Secret Service agent being at risk of blackmail. “Things like this don’t happen once if they didn’t happen before,” he warned.
House Oversight Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., called for a congressional investigation into the incident. “I think we should look into it, but I think believe we should always stand up for American values,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., on CNN this morning. “And one area we have worked together is in combating sex trafficking . . . we have to stand up for our values and the laws of our country.”
Her committee chairman concurred. “Well, whether it requires hearings hasn’t been decided, but we will participate in an over-the-shoulder investigation,” Issa said this morning. “So the question is how are they going to make these changes in discipline and perhaps polygraphs and other items being intensified so that this can’t happen in the future,” he concluded.
